Gun charges for dad of Kalamazoo officer's killer | News

Title (Max 100 Characters)

KALAMAZOO, Mich. (AP) -- A Kalamazoo man who was in Florida when his son killed a police officer last year has been charged with leaving guns behind for use in the shootout.

Kim Statler is not accused of a direct role in the death of Officer Eric Zapata. But federal prosecutors said Wednesday that he left his home in the hands of two sons, who were ex-convicts and ineligible to have access to guns.

Zapata was killed during a shootout with Leonard Statler after officers responded to reports of trouble at the house. Statler then killed himself.

Besides filing charges, the government is seeking to keep 13 firearms that were at Kim Statler's home. There's no phone listing for him, and a lawyer isn't listed yet in court records.